Page:Paine--J Archibauld McKaney collector of whiskers.djvu/86

  Orchestra. Then I intended to invite to a private concert or exhibition a score of the leading musicians and scientists of the East, including the head of the Musical Department of Harvard University. My bold crusade in behalf of the Human Whisker as a field for Nature study had won me some small reputation in the intellectual world, and I had reason to believe that my invitation would be respectfully entertained.

The rehearsals were conducted day and night, and so far advanced were my plans three days before the date of the concert that I had the superb pleasure of listening to a programme of no less than eight popular airs played with notable beauty of expression. I had become like a man in a dream, and had lost all interest in other affairs. I therefore paid little attention to Hank Wilkins when he read me the following cablegram from Berlin:

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